Corn-harvester



6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. B. & J. T. SNOW.

CORN HARVESTER.

Muuymuuxu\\w f lul i um (Remodel.) 6 sheets-sheen 8.

G. B. 82; J. T. SNOW. CORN HARVRSTRR.

Pat-811888 June 28,1v 1888.

lllmum g Im- (No Model.) Y 6 Sheets-Sheet .3.

' G. B. 8v J. T. SNOW'.

CORN HARVESTER. No. 385.22%. Patented June 26, 1888.

f E' l R N R .RmumnnRi s. IEE l RAR Jjww.

' (No Model.) e shQ-ets-'sheen-R.

G. R. R J. T. SNOW. CORN HARVESTER." No. 385,286. Patented June'ZG, 1888;

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\ (No Model.) l6-Sheets--Svhe81; 5.

13.88 J. T.v SNOW.

GORNVHARVBSTER. l

No. 885,288. v PatentedJune'z, 1888.

in. L. v M A N, persas, mwumugnpw, wmmgam no (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

G. B. '8v J. T. SNOW. CORN HARVESTER.

Jzines Z 51mm NTTE STATES GILBERT B. SNOV AND JAMES T. SNOW, OF SUGAR GROVE, ILLINOIS.

CORN-HARVESTER..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,286, dated June 26, 1888.

Application filed April 15, ISSI. Serial No. 234,973.

embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of thesame, viewed in the direction ofthe arrow lin Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detail side elevation ofthe machine, viewed in the direction oi' the arrow 2 in Fig. 1 Fig. 4. a detail rear elevation; Fig. 5, a sectional view taken on the lline 1 l of Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a detail plan View showing the front portion ef the framing and a portion of the mechanism mounted thereon; Fig. 7, a detail view of one of the carryingchains and its support or guide; Fig. 8, a detail sectional View of the same, taken on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a detail plan view of one of the links of the carryingchains detached; Fig. 10, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 11, an end elevation of thesame; Fig. 12, a detailplan section, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 13, a detail View ofthe clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 12, Fig. 14, a detail perspective View of one ofthe discharge-arms of the binding mechanism; and Fig. 15, a dctail plan view of one of the gathering-arms and its gathering-finger.

Lilie letters refer to like parts in all the figures ofthe drawings.

Our invention relates to corn-harvesters, and has for its object to produce a machine adapted to operate upon the standing corn to eut the standing stalks, form the same into bundles of suitable size, bind these bundles and discharge them from thc machine cach onto the ground, or into a wagon or other suitable receptacle.

nWe will now proceed to describe a machine embodying our invention in one form, and will then particularly point out in the claims those features which we deem to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent.

In the drawings, A represents the main frame which is constructed in a mannersuitable to properly support the various mechanisms which it is designed to carry. This frame relation to the ground.

(No model.)

has thedraft-rigging attached to it at any suitable point and is supported upon two wheels, one of which, A, constitutes the bull-Wheel or d riving-wheel from which the power which operates the machine is derived, while the other one, A2, forms a support for the opposite side ofthe machine, and may be termed the grain-wheel. The connection between the frame A and the wheel A2 is preferably adinstable, so that that side of the frame which is supported by the said wheel A2 may be raised or lowered to bring the cutter and its associated mechanism into the desired position with The adjustment at this point is preferably effected in the following manner. A vertical way, a, extends upward from the side of the frame A, and receives a bearing-block, a', which carries the wheel Az in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 5 ot' the drawings, the said block being capable ofvertical movement uponthe waya, and having slots c2 for the passage of clamping-bolts a,

which serve to secure the said block after adjustment. In order to provide :more effective means for adjusting the block c' upon the way c, we provide the said block with an upwardly-.extending screw, AP", which passes through an internally-threaded bevel gear-wheel, a, which may be rotated by means of a corresponding bevel gear-wheel a5, the shaft of which is provided with a suitable wrenclrgrasp, c, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, or with any other suitable means for rotating the same. A bracket, A, 'at the upper end ofthe way a serves to support the upper end of the screw A: and the bevel gearwheel a". By means of this construction the side ol the frame supported by the wheel A2 may be readily raised or lowered, as desired. The wheel A is provided with a gear-wheel, A5, which meshes with apinion, c, on ashaft, AG, the said p'inion being loose on the shaft, but capable of being connected with the same by means of a clutch, A1, in order to rotate the said shaft. The shaft AG is connected by suitable gearing,in the manner hereinafter described, to the various mechanisms which compose the machine, so that the entire machine may be thrown into or out of operation through the medium of the clutch A?.

The frame A is open at the front at that side IOC) thereof adjacent to the grain-wheel A2, Aas shown more particularly in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and at the rear of this open space A8 is arranged a suitable cutter, B, of any approved construction, the form shown being a reciprocating cutter actuated by means of a pitman, b, connected to a crank-wheel, b', on the rear of a shaft, B. The shaft B is provided at its frontend with a bevel gear-wheel, b2, which meshes with a similar bevel gear-wheel, b3, on a transverse shaft, B2. near the front of the frame A. The shaft BAZ is provided near its left-hand end with a sprocket-wheel, b4, over which and over a sprocket-wheel, B3, on the shaft A6 passes a drivechain, B4, by means of which power is communicated to the shaft B'I and thence through the mechanism described to the cutter B. On each side of the space Aa is arranged a carryingchain, C. The Vconstruction and arrangement of these two chains being identical, we will only describe that of one of them, it being, of course, understood f -frame A at their lower ends, this connection being preferably effected by means of eyebolts cl2, through which the said uprights pass, and

which serve to clamp the same against the frame A,'so that the guidesupport and the carrying-chain mounted thereon may be adjusted vertically to any desired height. Upon the inner side of the guide support D is secured a metallic strap, Dwhich forms in conjunction wit-h the rabbet D a guiding-groove for the chain C, the said strap preventing lateral displacement of the chain, which runs in the groove thus formed, in the manner shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. On the upper side of the guide-support D is arranged a bearingplate, D4, which extends along the same from front to rear, and serves to hold the carryingdogs in operative position in the manner hereinafter described.

From the front of each guide-support D gathering-arms E extend downward and forward, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Each of these arms is formed by means of a board, E', which is supported by a downward extension of the strapDi, which downward extension of said strap 'is continued to the lower end of the board, and is then carried rearward and secured to the lower end of the upright D, as shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that the referencedetter E designates the entire arm, the two principal parts of which' it is coinposed being the board E and the strap D3.

At the lower end of each gathering-arm E is pivoted a gathering-finger, E2, which is adproved construction, and are provided at suitable intervals with links 0, upon which the carrier-dogs C2 are mounted. Each dog is mounted upon a pivot, c', extending upward from the link c, and consists of two arms or lingers, one of which, c2, serves to carry the corn rearward,while the other, c, bears against the bearing-plate D* in the manner shown in Fig. 7, and serves to hold the arm c2 in operative position during the rearward travel of the said dog. A stop, c", is also provided on the link c toV limit the movement of the dog C2. It will thus be seen that while the dog is being carried rearward along the guide-sup- `port D the arm c2 thereof will be lirmly-held by the bearing-plate D, against which the arm c3 bears, in such position that the said arm c2 will project outward, so as to engage with the corn which enters the space between the two chains and Carry the same rearward to the cutter. -During the forward travel of the dog, however, it is free to swing upon its pivot, so that its arms will not engage with the corn, thereby causing the carrying-chain to operate only in one direction.

- Power is supplied to actuate the carryingchains by means of sprocket-wheels C3 on the shafts of the rear sprocket-wheels, C, over which said chains travel. In the construction shown the left-hand chain is driven by means of a sprocket-chain, C", which passes over the sprocketwheel C3 and over sprocket-wheel C on a short shaft, c5, mounted on the guide-support D, as shown. Another sprockctvwheel, C, on this shaft has passing over it a sprocketchain, c, which runs over a sprocket-pinion, CT, on the end of the shaft B2, from which the power is transmitted to the left-hand carrying-chain G through the mechanism just described. The right-hand carrying-chain Gis driven by means of a sprocket-chain, f, passing over its sprocket-wheel C3 and over a similar sprocket-wheel, F, on a short shaft, f, mounted on the frame A, and provided with a bevel-pinion, F', which meshes with a bevel gear-wheel, g, on a longitudinal shaft, G. A sprocket-wheel, g', is mounted on the shaft G, over which a sprocket-chain, G', passes to a sprocket-wheel, h, on a second longitudinal shaft, H, which forms the packer-shaft of the binding mechanism and which is driven by means of a sprocket-wheel, h', on its front end, over which and over a sprocketwheel, h2, on the shaft B a sprockctchain, H', passes. By this means power is transmitted to the righthand carrying-chain C in order to actuate the4 Same.

I represents a deck arranged to the rear and at one'side of the cutter B and carrying-chains C, so that the stalks, after being cut bythe cutter', are laid by the carrying-chains upon the said deck. Suitable convcyers are provided for carrying the stalks laterally across this deck to the binding mechanism, and these conveyers are preferably constructed in the following manner: The shaft G is provided with two or more doublecranks, g2, upon which are pivoted one end of the toothed conveyers G2, their other ends being supported by piv` oted links g3, so that the teeth of the said conveyers project upward through suitable slots t' in the deck I while moving toward the binding mechanism and sink below said deck while moving away from it. The conveyers are arranged in pairs which act alternately with each other, and thus serve to convey the stalks laterally across the said deck to the binding mechanism. G3 indicates a butter of any approved construetion driven by a bevel-pinion, g4, o n the front end of a shaft, G4, the latter having a sprocket-wheel, g5, over which the chain G passes. The butter is arranged in a suitable aperture in a transverse vertical shield, G5, and is adjusted by a levenG, in the usual manner, through the medium of a link, 07, by means of which said lever is connected to the yoke Glof the butter. lt serves to even the butts of the severed stalks and aids in feeding the same to the binding meehanism.

The binding mechanism may he of any approved type, that which we have shown being thatknownas the Appleblybinder,7 and does not require a detailed description here, as it is not of our invention. It is provided with the usual packers, H2, driven by the shaft H, the usual compressor H3 connected to the bindertri p mechanism to operate the same by means of a link, h, theneedle-arm H,and the knetter mechanismH,actuated bythe cani-shaftli3,con nected to the shaft H by the usual gearing. The only feature in which it differs from the ordinary binding mechanism is in theconstructon et' the discharge-arms J, which are pivoted to their supports J', as shown by pivotsj, being provided with a stop,j', extending under the said support, so that the said discharge-arms J may yield upward iu the direction of their movement after discharging the bundle, for the purposes hereinafter stated. `In Fig. 5 these supports are shown as connected directly to the shaft itt, while in Fig. 14 the device is shown in a-modilied form, the support J' being shorter and being adapted to be secured to an arm on the shaft h. Springs J2 serve to hold the arms J normally in proper position.

ln Fig. lt'tlie support J is shown provided with rivet-holes j', by means of which it may be connected' to a suitable arm attached to the shaft ZL. In this construction the support J is provided'with a shortstubshaft or mandrel, J3, around which the spring Jl is coiled, as shown in Fig. 14.

From the binder the bundle, after having been formed, bound, and tied in the usual manner, passes to the bundle-discharger K,whieh is arranged at one side of the said binder. This bundle-discharger comprises a-longitudinal bar, K,Vconnected by means of an arm, 7c, to a rock-shaft, L, actuated in the manner hereinafter described. with a series of springarms, k', which serve to receive the bundle as it comes from the binder. The motion ofthe rock-shaft L, imparted in the manner hereinafter described, causes the bnndle-discharger K to move upward in the are of a circle at the proper time, thereby carrying the bundle over the main wheel A' and throwingit clear of the machine at that side. The rock-shaft Lis arranged on the outer side ofthe said wheel A', andthe bundle-discharger K is of sufficient length to carry the bundle over and clearofthe said wheel. Spring-buffers Zai, of rubber or other suitable material, are arranged upon the'main frame A in such a position that as the bundle-discharger descends in returning to its first position the bar K' will strike upon these spring-buffers, and thus reduce the shock to a minimum. The rockshaft L is operated by means ofthe following mechanism. An arm, Z, extends upward from the rock-shaft and is provided atitsupperend with a pin, Z.

L2 represents a link having a slot, Z2, and connected to the arm Z by means ofthe pin Z', which enters the said slot Z2. The link L2 `is provided with a lower extension, L, adjustable in relation to the upper portion or link proper and connected thereto by a clamping-bolt, Z3, passing through the slot Z'lin the upper portion or link proper. By this means'alink of adjustable length is formed.

M represents ashaft provided at its forward end with a bevel gear-wheel, m, which meshes with a corresponding pinion, al, on the end of the shaft `A.

M'l represents a collar fixed upon the said shaft and provided with rearward-projecting pins m'.

M2 represents a disk mounted loosely on the shaft M and provided with a crank-arm, M3, having a crank-pin, m2, to which the link L2 is connected, the connection being shown as effected in the present instance by pivoting the lower end of the extension L3 of said link on said crank-pin.

Nrepresents a pawl pivotetl on thefrontfaee ofthe disk M2 and provided with arms a and n'.

N represents a spring arranged to throw the arm a' of the pawl N outward, so as to cause it to project beyond the periphery of the disk M2, and a represents a stop to limit this motion of thepawl by l' ea1ingagainst the shaft M.

O representsastop-arm pivoted totheframe A and provided with ashoulder, o, arranged in the path of the arm a of the pawl N to act as a stop for the same.

O represents a suitable spring arranged to hold the stop-arm O normally in the path of the said arm n.

The bar K' is provided ICC ' pawl N.

The stop-arm O is connected by means of a rod, o', to a trip-arm, P, pivoted on the rear of the frame A, and having its upper end arranged in the path of the bundle and in such relation to the other parts of the machine that as the bundle passes from the binder to the bnndledischarger it will strike against said trip-arm and actuate the same.

It will be seen that when the trip-arm Pis actuated by the bundle in passing on to the bnndle-discharger K the said trip-arm will, through the medium of the rod o', withdraw the stop-arm O and release the arm n of the The spring N/ will then throw the arm a of the said pawl outward into the path ofthe pins m', and these latter will, by reason of their engagement with the said arm a,cause the disk Mz to revolve, and, through the medium of thc link L2, draw the arm Z of the rock-shaft L downward, thus giving a partial rotation to the said rock-shaft and actuating the bundle-discharger K in the manner hereinbefore described. Upon the upstroke of the crank-arm M3, the link L2, heilig slotted, will play freely upon the pin Z', thus allowing the bundle-discharger K to fall back into its first position 'of its own accord, instead of being forced back by means of the actuating mechanism. As the disk M2 in its rotation ap preaches its first position, the arm n of the pawl N will strike against the shoulder 0 `of the stoparm O, which has been returned to its position through the medium of the spring This contact of the pawl of the stop-arm will throw the arm n inward,and thus discon` nect the disk M2 from the shaft IWI, thereby arresting its motion.

Q represents a spring arranged to bear upon the forward-projecting portion of the crankpin m2, which is extended for this purpose,the said spring serving to prevent the rotation of the disk Mz backward, so as to allow the arm n to project, said spring serving, in fact, to hold the arm n irmly against the shouldero ot' the stoparm O when the parts are not in operation.

R represents the seatbnr, to the upper end of which the drivers seat is attached.

The operation of our machine will be readily understood from the' preceding description.

That side of the machine upon which the gathering and cutting mechanism is arranged may be readily adjusted by means of the devices described, and the gnidesupports and carrying-chai ns may be also vertically adjusted independently ofthe adjustment of the main frame. The gathering-lingers El are likewise adjustable, so as to enable the operator to arrange the same in proper position with relation to the ground. As the machine advances the standing corn is gathered in and carried rearward by means of the chains C, and after being severed by the cutter B the stalks are laid upon the deck I butts foremost. The conveyers Gr2 serve to carry the corn laterally along the said deck to the binding mechupon the bundle-discharger Each bundle in passing to the bundle-discharger serves to trip the operating mechanism thereof, so that the said bundle discharger is actuated and caused to movein the arc of a circle, carrying the bundle upward and throwing it over the main wheel, thereby delivering it at the side ofthe machine. During the upward motion of the bundleldischarger the discharge-arms J are also moving upward, and in order to prevent their becoming engaged with any projecting stalks of the bundle, and thereby hindering the action of the bundle discharger, these discharge-arms are hinged to swing upward in the manner hereinbet'ore described, so that anystalks coming in contact with them from below will merely turn them upon their pivots out of the way.

By carrying the stalks butt foremost across the machine We are enabled to arrange the operating mechanism of the binder or the greater portion thereof in front of the saidy deck, thereby rendering the machine more compact, while at the same time the bundles are tied at a proper distance from the butts.

It is obvious that various modifications in the details of construction may be made without departing from the principle of our invention, and we therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves Ato the precise details hereinbefore described, and shown in the drawings.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new,l and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a corn-harvester,the combination,with the cutter, of laterally-moving conveyers arranged in the rear ofthe same, gathering and carrying chains arranged on each side of the cutter in advance of the same and extending diagonally upward and rearward and then horizontally rearward to a point slightly in the rear of the cutter, whereby the stalks are laid upon the conveyers with their butts to ward the front of the machine, and a binding mechanism arranged to receive the stalks fromV .the conveyers and bundle and bind the same,

substantially as and for the pu rposes specified.

2. In acorn-harvester, the combination,with the main frame and the cutter mounted thereon, of the carrying-chains and their guidesupports, the gathering-arms connected to the guidesupports, and the uprights D2 secured to the guidesupports and adj ustably connected to the main frame by eyebolts cl2, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a corn-harvester,the combination, with the gatheringarms E, of the gathering-dngers E2, pivoted to the lower ends of said arms, and the adj u sting-bolts e, each pivoted near the front end of the gathering-lingers, extending IDO IIO

rearward through asuitable lug, e', on the end of the gathering-arm E, and provided with adjusting-nuts e2 on each side of said lug, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

4. In a corn-harvester, the carrying-chains C, arranged on each side of the cutter in advance of the same and extending diagonally upward and rearward and then horizontally rearward to a point slightly in the rear of the cutter, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a corn-harvester, the combination, with the cutter B, the deck I, the reciprocating conveyers G2, and the binding mechanism, of the transverse vertical shield G5, arrangedin front of the conveyers and extending from the cut- `ter to the binding mechanism, and the endlessbelt butter G, arranged in a suitable aperture in said shield, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In a cornharvestcr, a bundle-discharger pivoted on an axis arranged longitudinally of the machine outside of and below the top of the main wheel, the said bundle-discharger swinging vertically in the arc of a circle over the main wheel to discharge the bundle from the machine, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In a corn harvester, the combination, with asuitable binding mechanism, ofa bundledischarger arranged to receive the bundle as it comes from the binder, actuating mechanism to cause said bundle-discharger to swing vertically in the arc of a circle to discharge the bundle, and a trip arm arranged in the path of the bundle and actuated by the same to start the actuating mechanism of the bundledischarger, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. In a corn harvester, the combination, with the bundle-discharger swinging vertically in the arc of a circle and actuated positively during lits outward throw, but free to return quickly to its original position by gravity, of spring-buiers arranged to receive the shock ofthe bundle-discharger as it falls back to its normal position, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. In acornharvester,the bundle-discharger K, consisting of a bar,K,provided with spring arms k', an arm, 7c, to which said bar is attached, and suitable operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. In a corn-harvester, the combination,

with the cutter, of lateral convcyers arranged in the rear of the same, carrying-chains to gather the stalks and carry them to the cutter and deliver them with their butts to the front of the machine upon the lateral conveyers, a twine binding mechanism to receive the stalks from the conveyer-s and bundle and bind the same, and the bundle-discharger arranged at the side of the binding mechanism swinging 0n a longitudinal axis arranged outside of and below the top of the main wheel to receive the bundle from the binding mechanism and dis.- charge the same from the machine at the side over the main whcel,`substantially as and for the purposes specified. v

11. In a corn-harvester, the combination, with the bundle-discharger K, of the rockshaft L, carrying the same and provided with arm Z, the link L* to said arm, the disk M2, mounted loosely on the continuously-rotating shaft M and provided with a crank-arm connected to said link, and a clutch mechanism controlled by a suitable trip to automatically connect and disconnect said disk, and the shaft to operate the bundldischarger, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

12. In a cornharvester, the combination, with the shaft M, having collar h with pins m', of the disk h 2, provided with a crank-arm connected by a suitable link to the rock-shaft of the bundle-discharger, the spring-pawl N, having arms n and n', the stop-arm O, and the trip l?, connected to said stop-arm, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

' 13. In a corn-harvester, the combination, with the rock-shaft L, carrying the bundledischarger K and having arm Z with pin Z', of the disk M2, having crankarm M3, and the link L2, connected to said crank-arm and slotted longitudinally to receive the pin Z',` substantially as and for the purposes specified.

lat.' In a corn-harvester, the combination, with the bundle-discharger K and its rockshaft L, having arm Z, of the disk M2, having crank-arm M3, and the link L2, connected to the armZ and provided with the adjustable eX- tensionIF, pivoted to the crank-arm, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

GILBERT B. SNOV. JAMES T. SNOV.

Witnesses:

PRATT BENJAMIN, Evi-IN OWENs. 

